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Thursday, January 14, 2016

Especially With My Words~

One thing I never want to do is hurt someone.

I learned from the earliest of my days on this earth just how very sharp, and how very wounding words can be. Knowing full well the pain words can inflict, I try my hardest to think before I speak, to pray before I open my mouth, to only say what I feel will honor God in a way that will honor God.

A lofty goal, I admit.

A desire I fall short of time and time and time again.

And when I do fail,
I think I hurt as much (if not more so) than the one I have hurt.

Regardless of what version of the Bible you find yourself reading Ephesians 4:29 in,

it is very clear what our words are to do:

Minister grace.

Build one another up.

Benefit those who listen.

Bless those who hear.

Be a gift.

KJV:

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

NIV:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

NCV:

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.

MSG:

Say only what helps, each word a gift.

I firmly believe,

no matter what we have to say,

all that we do say

can be said in a way to live out the command of this verse.

Words of every day conversation.

Words of instruction.

Words of correction.

Words of expectation.

Words of conviction.

Words of explanation.

Words of frustration. (Yes, and especially, even these!)

Each word to benefit.

Each word helpful.

Each word a gift.

As I look back over my success rate with words,

I find one common denominator.

The times I have honored God by honoring others with my words,

no matter the situation,

were the times I spoke with the other person in mind,

instead of "speaking my mind".

I read the following quote once and I never forgot it:

If it's very painful for you to criticize your friends — you're safe in doing it.
But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the time to hold your tongue.
~Alice Duer Miller

To me,
and I think to God, too -
it all comes down to this:
our words aren't meant to be used to
benefit us,
build us up,
make us look good,
bless us
at the expense of others.

Our words are to
benefit others,
build others up,
help others up,
bless others,
no matter the cost to us.

Yes, they must be truthful,
always truthful,
but,they must also
be full of His grace,
always graceful.

Because -
regardless of what version of the Bible you find yourself reading Colossians 4:6 in,
it is very clear what our words are to be:

KJV:
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

CEB:
Your speech should always be gracious and sprinkled with insight so that you may know how to respond to every person.

MSG:
Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

Help me, Holy Spirit.
Because one thing I never want to do is hurt someone,
especially with my words.~♥

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